In For A Penny
by Supreme Ky
Summary: One shot challenge from my old friend VUnit. A slightly alternate ending to KoF '94, loosely based on the doujin by Takamisaki Ryo.


Disclaimer: Oh please, I wish… God the money and power…

SK: Been a while, and well, had to do something. What am I doing to be exact? Simple, I'm re-writing my saga so to speak. I decided to revamp most of my old stuff. After my comp burnt out like a dying sun, I had to face facts. I just can't do it with out my notes, and well, maybe it's a sign to start over.

I really like what I did, some of the stuff I came up with was pure genius, but it lacked the glue of a story. The random fun was well, fun, but I wanted it to have more substance than just the usual stuff. Not to mention I've gained a new appreciation for some new characters that I never had, while I became disgusted with some others. Most notably Andy Bogard. That and I've felt the need to set things straight, as the continuity of the games always seem to conflict with what I'm doing.

To put it simply, I've started undergoing the transition and changes of my first kof fic set in the future, so it'll be changed and hopefully it'll still be pleasing to the eye. Furthermore I plan to start from the beginning and work my way up, explaining things from the get-go. So without further messy wrap-ups enjoy!

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me!" Kyo grumbled in annoyance. Watching the monstrosity of a man rise from the wreckage, relatively unharmed save for the wisps of smoke that rose from the burnt spots on his clothing, he readied himself for battle once more.

"You want to try that again?" the other man said with a smirk.

"You're going to wish you had stayed buried, Rugal."

Without so much as a warning, Rugal Bernstein, the promoter of the King of Fighters '94 tournament charged at Kyo. In a blindingly fast pace he had smashed his ribs, knocking him off his feet and proceeded to crush the life out of him slowly with his heel on Kyo's chest.

Looking down on him he could barely contain his glee. "Foolish Kyo, there was no way you could have beaten me! Just be glad that you'll no longer feel this pain, the pain of losing to a bigger man!"

Kyo could feel the pressure being on his neck until he saw the light. Thinking the worst he allowed the light to take him to a better place…

Gasping for breath, he quickly opened his eyes. He closed them once more when he realized the light was too intense for him to see anything.

The memory of the brilliant light during his fight with Rugal had been stomped (literally) into his memory, and he knew that this was nothing compared to what he saw before.

Opening his eyes he found that he was right. In fact, he was nowhere near the Black Noia, no Rugal, not even a single soul. Tentatively his eyes began to clear, allowing the image of a white ceiling to permeate his field of vision, noticing the enormous patch of light that was shining off the ceiling, the very light that had blinded him earlier.

Looking around he could see white curtains, several drawers to his left, and all around him he could smell the stench of bleach.

_I'm… where the hell… am I in a hospital?_ His initial question had been put to rest when he saw a nurse run by his door.

"Kyo! You're awake!"

Turning his head he blinked twice, once for accidentally staring right into the light that shone through his window, and second to see who was in his hospital room.

"Athena?" A young girl rushed up to him grinning all the while. Keeping to the usual dress code for the celebrity gone incognito, she wore a white sweater and long denim skirt, with a small slit up to her thighs, and brown suede knee-high boots that were subtle in design. She had kept her hair underneath a matching blue baseball with only several purple bangs showing.

It was well known that the fighting pop idol wore the less noticeable (not to mention the glamorous and glitzy) outfits, so this had thrown many a report and paparazzi off her trail.

"I'm glad you're finally awake. The doctors were afraid you were going to turn into a vegetable!"

Kyo only smirked. Ignoring the burning pain under the bandages that were practically covered on every part of his body, save for just about his chest and higher, he rose from his bed and sat up to address the young psycho soldier/pop idol sensation.

"I always was a meat and potatoes kind of guy." Sitting up slowly with Athena's help he looked to her with one question in mine. "Athena… what exactly happened at the tournament, with Rugal I mean?" Remembering the incredible strength of Rugal, the imminence of his own demise, and the sudden surge of light, it was only right for him to be confused. "I can't say I remember much from the fight."

Athena let out a breath of disappointment and relief. She was irked that in he cared more about the tournament than his own health, and the pang of relief was also there. At least he didn't get his brains scrambled, she reasoned.

"It was pretty amazing really. I saw Rugal about to kill you and I knocked him away with a well placed psycho ball!" she made a victory sign with her fingers.

"You beat him?" he asked incredulously. For a moment he wasn't sure whether he should bow down to the awe-inspiring girl or consider her yet another rival…

"Actually, no…" she said sheepishly. "I just sorta made him mad and he just went after me for a while!" Slowly her hands gripped the hem of the white sweater and pulled upwards to reveal scores of bandages of her own, with a free hand she pointed to a cast that covered her entire foot, that came up to the middle of her thigh. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed a thin layer of pink energy covering the entire cast.

"He is no joke!" she said with a weak laugh. "If it weren't for my psycho powers I'd be using a crutch right about now."

Without realizing it his hands were already placed on the bandages, but even the slightness of the contact made her wince.

Kyo's eyes snapped open and he pulled back immediately.

Instinctively, one of her hands had already reached out for his, but she stopped midway, placing it at the metal bar of the hospital bed, just as he pulled back. "It's okay, it just burns a little." She replied, slightly embarrassed at the near turn of events.

Suddenly the door flew open, revealing man with long blonde hair, pulled back into a ponytail. Wearing a dark brown jacket, a forest-green button down shirt with black slacks and boots, it was almost a shock for Kyo as he's never known his friend Benimaru to dress so conservatively.

"Beni?" he asked as he squinted at the man standing by the door.

"Yo, how's them bruises?" he asked with a smirk but he stopped short at the sight of Athena.

For a few moments all they could do was stare at each other in shock. Kyo was the first to break his impression of a statue once he realized Athena's sweater was still half an inch below the bra, and his hand had snaked out to pull the sweater down for Athena, who still looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"I… uh… need to get going. I'm glad to see you're feeling better!" Benimaru quickly made his exit, slamming the door, and running the hallways, echoes of his uproarious laughter trailing behind him.

Kyo growled in frustration as he fell back onto his pillow, worried that this might spread badly for him. "I'm starting to wish Rugal had finished me off."

"Why you--!" Athena summoned a sizeable portion of psycho energy into her fist and slammed it straight into Kyo's temple. "Don't you dare say something like that, ever again! Don't you realize how many people care for you? Stop acting so macho for a minute would you?"

"Athena-san… I was just kidding."

Refusing to even give a dignified answer to that, she only glared at him, as Athena was infuriated at his choice of words. But even her anger couldn't hide the tears that were beginning to show at the edge of her eyes.

Taking her jacket with her she stomped out the door to find the wayward teammate. Despite her anger not even she would allow a falsified rumor to go on long.

Kyo's eyes were wider than saucers as he rubbed the sore spot where he had been hit. Letting the thoughts roam free in his mind he paid no attention as the medical staff of the hospital work around him, his conscience now beginning to take its toll on his mood and current view on life.

----- Several Hours Later -----

Taking several short cuts Athena had arrived back into the hospital but cursed her luck. She had to track down Yuki and explained the situation to her seeing that Benimaru was somehow faster than a speeding bullet. But that was not before getting into a little tussle outside a Ramen house that lasted very short for the young high school girl. Now she had only fifteen minutes remaining until visiting hours were over.

Getting off at the fifth floor she turned the corner, passing several doors until she reached Kyo's room.

Her hands flew to her mouth as she saw Kyo with his back turned towards her. He had already taken off his hospital gown, but he had long been boxer-less and as he bent over to put on his boxers, she was sure she had died from blood loss.

Kyo grabbed a white t-shirt he had stolen from another patient, luckily who was only in to get an x-ray for a broken arm, and grabbed his black school jacket. Turning around he almost fell backwards onto the bed.

"Athena? What are you doing here?" Walking stealthily towards a drawer he reached into a compared and pulled out his sneakers.

Feeling the blood rush to her cheeks and other places when she was presented with an anti-strip tease, she could feel the color leaving her cheeks once she realized he was speaking to her.

"Well doesn't matter, I'm leaving. Wanna come with?"

Athena quickly regained her footing when she heard that. "What? Why are you leaving? You just woke up!"

"Exactly!" Kyo said with a grin. "Do you honestly thing I'm gonna let myself be poked and prodded for the rest of the week? I got better things to do. You wanna come with or what?"

When he didn't get an answer he quickly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her with him. "Ikuze!"

Moving silently he crossed to his left and made his way towards the emergency fire exit. Pushing the door open he smirked. "Easy as--!" His surprise lingered when he realized the door has an alarm attached to it, one that would ring when the door was opened. Cursing his lot he half ran with Athena behind him, the wailing of the alarms calling attention to their location.

Finally they reached the lower levels of the parking lot. They had relaxed considerably but they stayed away from the corners of the lot that had the most cameras and just about any door that looked like a fire-exit.

> > >

"Man that was fun!" Kyo said with a chuckle. Looking over his shoulder he turned his eyes to Athena's. "So where to now, princess?"

Athena turned red for a moment at his gaze, her memories revisiting those precious 2 minutes, both of them relying on their own wits and cunning to evade hospital security. It somewhat bothered her that there was so much security for a hospital but now she had thought nothing of it as they were both free.

Despite the feeling of working side by side with him she tried to sound indifferent, and to an extent, angry. "You really shouldn't be doing this under your condition! You might rip open a stitch!"

His eyes softened and he turned around entirely. "Yeah, I guess you're right…

"So you'll go back?" Athena asked hopefully.

He looked at her as if she had just grown a body double from her ass. "Nope. I said I guess you're right, I didn't say anything about going back. I just want to get the hell out of here. C'mon, I know a place!"

Minutes later there were both standing outside a Beef Bowl restaurant, specializing in cheap, affordable meals.

"This is where we gonna hide out!" Athena pointed at the store incredulously but Kyo only walked inside of the store.

Just as Athena entered the restaurant she held up her arms to try and shield her face, while her arm clung onto Kyo's, sure that people would stare at her, some might even point out her cast. She was sure they would both be recognized and hoped no one would take any pictures. When she noticed no one was clamoring around her for an autograph and the like she noticed that she had only received a handful of looks at most, and they were all mostly disinterested. A few had given a greeting or two towards Kyo and her.

"Don't worry; I know what I'm doing." Kyo maneuvered around several cooks as he entered his way towards the inside kitchen. Moving past bustling chefs he quickly opened up a door into a back room of sorts.

The lack of subtlety, the lack of light in the room upon their entering, it screamed of strange going-ons and she didn't like it one bit. For some reason she had this strange urge to hold onto him tighter. The darkness was not something she'd like to delve into often, not even as a child.

"What is this place?"

"It's just a tunnel." Kyo replied offhandedly.

"A WHAT!"

Suddenly the sound of a door could be heard opening. Athena was able to peer over his shoulder and notice that in front of them was a ladder, and above it was a light shining down, giving it the heavenly look to the old metaphor of light being at the end of a tunnel.

Kyo quickly took to the ladder and Athena followed suit. As she looked up she could feel the blush rise to her cheeks, the faint memory of a hospital strip tease being performed had begun to replace some of the thoughts in her mind. "Would you hurry up? I still can't believe I'm down here…"

Within moments Kyo reached the top, and with a single punch, slammed his fist upwards, revealing a trap door. As he moved the manhole like cover he climbed into a large room filled with large boxes. Moving aside, he offered a hand to Athena, and in one swift motion pulled her into the room. Once they were on stable ground he shifted the trap door again.

"Where are we?" Athena felt a cold chill run up her spine. She had seen this in many older teen shoujo manga. Instances of earlier in the day flashed in her mind that maybe he had gotten the wrong impression when she had lifted up her shirt for him, but she could barely say anything to protest it. Somehow the thought of the whole situation to turn up like the scenarios she's seen in Peach Girl kind of appealed to her. In an odd sense it was exhilarating.

She had admitted a long time ago that Kyo Kusanagi was more than just downright drool worthy, but he was actually a decent, and above average human being. But was she ready for fooling around with a man, in a strange place, in the dark? Then again was he that much of a stranger? The question was immediately snuffed out for it's obvious foolishness.

Suddenly a bright light flooded the room, and Kyo stood there, dressed in the old fashioned style robes of yester-year. His hand dropped from a low hanging light fixture. When her eyes adjusted to the light she could see that he was wearing bright blue kimono with white and black trimming. There were two swords strapped to his left hip, and even his sneakers were replaced by the wooden sandals of old.

Athena's eyes sparkled as she grabbed Kyo into a giant bear hug.

"Ohmigod! You look so cute! …I mean hot, definitely hot!" she amended her statement when she heard the _whoosh_ of fire behind her. "Where are we, what is all this stuff?" She looked around and the boxes were filled to the brim with all kinds of feudal clothing. One side of the 20 by 25 room held all kinds of exotic weaponry and tools, and another were spare wagon wheels and axels. There were even a few shelves that contained vases and some dishes.

"You'll see…"

Within minutes Athena was dressed a matching outfit. However, while Kyo was dressed as a Samurai, Athena was dressed in a somewhat inappropriate kunoichi outfit, a sakura pink robe with black undergarments and fishnet lace. This of course was almost denied on the spot until Kyo pointed out she had worn way worse during her on stage performances.

Trying to look inconspicuous, they took a stroll around the amusement park known as cinema village. Known for its vast amounts of costumes the park has for actors and regular people to don in any given day of the week. The place has served as a meeting-ground for low level actors and cosplayers who wish to live the feel of feudal Japan as well as a tourist attraction.

"Strangely enough, it's peaceful. As long as we avoid the tourists." Athena said as she pointed over to several 'samurai' forced to take pictures with a young couple, natively Japanese, but from another prefecture in origins.

"Yeah, it is. I found this place when I was escaping—" Kyo stopped mid-sentence when he realized he almost said **_his_** name. It felt like a curse, if he should so even say **_his_** name, **_he'd_** just appear out of nowhere. Shrugging the memories away he immediately changed the subject. "It was how I found it, by going through that tunnel. I just come here once in a while whenever I need a place to think."

"You mean write poetry?" Athena said with a grin, causing Kyo to flinch. "Yeah, I know. I mean how can I not know?" Athena said with a smile that made Kyo relax. As much as some people would believe she's psychic and can read minds, she has only gotten so far in this ability. Due to underground fan publications based on, of, and for Kyo was she able to find out this little tidbit. "So is that why we're here now?"

Kyo shrugged. "Sort of. I just wanted to show you someplace nice. It's the least I can do."

Noting the confused look on her face, he continued as they walked across a wooden bridge, overlooking a passing stream of water. "I remembered fighting Rugal, but… it was somewhat blurry. I remember him choking me out, and a bright light appearing out of nowhere."

He stopped at the middle of the bridge as he watched the koi in the river below his presence, obviously hoping that he had food to give. "After that, I remember Rugal on the floor beaten. I also remember being really angry for a reason."

He then looked over his shoulder to Athena who was now standing right beside him, her arms crossed underneath her chest. To his much trained eye he could see that her right hand was cradling her left side, obviously favoring it as it was probably injured heavily.

"You know what else I remember? I remember seeing him hitting you, over and over… everything here and there was a blind spot for me sure, but I do remember the anger and the hatred after that. I must have snapped."

"Yes you did…" Athena said after a few moments of silence. "You saved us both."

Kyo chuckled lightly. "No… I wouldn't say that. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead. I don't think I would have survived if not for you."

"I'm already on thin ice with Yuki. Well as they say, in for a penny, in for a pound." He said with a grin as he took her hand in his.

Athena only smiled while inching towards him but Kyo closed the distance. "Getting a little chilly, it happens a lot during this time of the day…" he murmured as his hands gently gripped around her shoulders. He maneuvered around her body so that she stood in front of him, his arms completely crossed just below her neckline, his hands lightly grasping her shoulders. His long sleeves provided a good source of protection for her scanty kunoichi outfit.

They watched the horizon become brighter, before fading into its usually brilliant hues of red, orange, and yellow.

For Kyo the flashes continued but he never said anymore than what was required. It was random, many of them just sporadic images. Only over the course of the day had they become clearer once he forced himself to concentrate on each image. Soon they were clear enough to him: the sight of Athena being tossed around and manhandled by that man Rugal Bernstein. This had unleashed a terrible power within himself and he could still feel the touch of the power floating seamlessly within him, the fiery contact every time his fists made contact. He didn't care whether or not if he can access it again, or if it may be a bad idea to. He just knew why he did it, something that confounded him. No matter how many times he reasoned it to himself, that if perhaps Yuki was there in place of Athena, the outcome would have been the same. Deep down however he knew that was a load of crock.

Athena leaned back onto Kyo, enjoying the warmth his body gave to hers, and the cool breeze that gently played along her skin.

"Another time…" she murmured. Another time maybe she wouldn't have concede to doing the right thing. There was her friendship with Yuki to think of for one…

"What's that?" Kyo asked.

"Nothing, I was just thinking that maybe we should get going."

Kyo shrugged and he slowly, albeit reluctantly released his hands from her shoulders, the two of them on their way to the exit.

Together they made their way to the trains, neither of them wanting to talk about what had just happened, talking about everyday matters as if nothing was different.

All in all, what words could have described it? For one brief moment they had acted differently than what was expected of them.

She was no longer the pop idol, fearful for being discovered by the public and hounded for it. He was no longer the heir to a fighting legacy that attracted every major fighter in the world. They were comfortable with each other, and despite how many times he told himself that she was just cold, no matter how odd it was to be so affectionate to a man who was still technically taken, neither can deny that it felt good and given the chance, to do it again at a moment's notice.

> > >

Arriving at a temporary apartment Kyo had set up, they stood outside his door for a few moments.

Kyo knew that there would be messages on his answer machine. Something he had dreaded about coming home to. "Would you like to come in?" he asked her.

Athena's faraway look was soon replaced by a look of shock and confusion. "Excuse me?"

"I said would you like to come in?" Kyo had already stepped in and let the door open. "I don't know, it's pretty late and I don't think you'd be up for going home this late. You might as well stay the night."

Athena gulped as she stepped over the threshold.

The inside of his apartment was just as she expected it to be. In front of her was a large, cream-colored fireplace, the walls covered with the same colored paint. To the left was a television, directly in front of that was a loveseat with two pillows and a folded blanket. As she walked further inside to inspect his apartment she found there was a small hallway that led to the bathroom, and two other rooms, one she immediately assumed was his. The kitchen to her right was rather scarce in tools but it held many an empty food carton.

Kyo tentatively pushed the button to his answering machine. Almost immediately there was yelling of sorts, followed by crying, and more yelling. Amazingly enough it had stopped a few seconds before the machine would have cut the message off.

"Kyo?"

He looked at her in surprise, as if he had forgotten she was still in the living room. "Sorry that you had to hear that. It wasn't pretty was it?"

Athena shook her head sadly but said nothing. "It's okay! Really! She's just having a hard time figuring out what's going on with you. I did talk to her and she's… concerned about you fighting! That's all it is!"

Kyo dismissed the topic with a wave of his hand. "It doesn't matter what she wants right now. I'm fine; I can take care of myself!"

"Don't start that up again! She's just concerned!" Athena said defiantly. For a moment she channeled her own feelings on the subject. Being a normal girl despite her abilities she could still feel what it means to be human, whereas for some people (who wielded the sort of power she had) simply tended to lose their souls over such power. And being so normal she could understand how difficult it is to worry that the next day one's girlfriend/boyfriend could easily get killed in such a fighting tournament.

"I know… she just…" Kyo growls under his breath. "She's giving me an ultimatum. My life, with her, or without…"

Athena nodded. "Yeah… I know, I heard. It doesn't make her argument less right, but that is pretty extreme."

"I'm tired of doing this, Athena. Pretending to care for someone I just met in a span of 2 years. What am I doing?" Kyo asked himself rhetorically.

Taking a seat on the couch by the television he just sat with his head placed back. "I just wish… that I never agreed to my pop's decision. Why should I get together with someone who doesn't even understand the life I live?"

Athena walked by the couch, leaning against the back of the couch with most of her weight on her legs. She forced herself to stare straight ahead at the darkened screen and not down, nor anywhere to her left. "I guess that's what happens when you're just a normal person. Those that have never lived our kind of lifestyle can never truly understand or appreciate the sacrifices made we make. Or have made."

"I just wish she wouldn't be so… I just wish she'd understand why I do the things I do! If she were a fighter yeah, she might understand… but that might just make her more… herself! Gah, if she was more like you! You understand!"

"I understand, Kyo." Athena replied with a chuckle.

Kyo grinned, his head still titled back. "Yeah, see what I mean?" he followed up with the joke. "What a pain she is…"

Athena smiled as she looked at him staring up into the ceiling. He never showed it to others nor had he showed it to her, rather he had given himself away by his words. Her heart raced as she **hoped** he had done just that, but just as he had said, "In for a penny, in for a pound".

Before he could even say something, she quickly bent down, capturing his lips with hers. Lips interlocking, surprised, tentative tongues wrapping around each other, neither moved for more… until the soft taste of Athena's lips on his own lips burned him to his very soul, causing his hands to move, softly touching her hair and cheek. For the moment she felt the guilt of what she had done bearing down on her. His touch wasn't meant for her, but she had forced his hand, and for moments she struggled with her conscience… until finally the feeling of freedom, and the rush of an unrequited love being fulfilled became too much for the young fighter to overcome.

Breaking the kiss Kyo slowly pulled Athena towards him, until she did nothing but slid atop him, eliciting a soft squeal of excitement and surprise. As she landed on his she quickly interlocked her arms around his head.

"You're a really good kisser you know that?"

Athena shrugged. "I had plenty of practice." She replied nonchalantly to which he gave her a pointed look. "Not with him! He's like a brother to me!"

Kyo gagged and pretended he was going to vomit until she hit him as hard as she could in his chest, knocking some of the air out of him. "Dirty Kyo!" She stopped for a moment when she saw the grin on his face. "Kyo… I—"

He quickly kissed her again before she could speak again. Neither of them objected to the quick assassination of a conversation topic until Athena broke the kiss after ten minutes.

"What about… Yuki?"

Kyo raised an eyebrow at the question. "I don't know. You started it!" he said with a grin. "What do you think I should do about Yuki?"

Athena tried to be serious but she found it hard to ignore the infectious grin but to no avail. "I don't know. But what are you going to do with me?" she asked shyly.

Kyo slowly kissed the side of her face, letting his soft kisses trail from her face down to her neck, to her ear, while switching up and talking to her every few seconds. "What do you… think… I should do… with you?"

Shuddering at the touches she only made a gestured to the bedroom with a finger. Kyo looked at her in a calm manner.

"Are you sure? I would be fine just having some fun right here, just like this. It doesn't have to…" To that answer she only shook her head and he eventually caved in. "You know, the funny thing is, I can actually say no to Yuki if I wanted to."

"And with me?" Came the slightly cheeky reply.

"…I still can, but it's not as fun though… Ow! Hey!"

The sounds of laughter could be heard, footsteps running around inside the apartment, the crash of furniture, before they slowly faded into the night. For this moment in time, they can finally feel the freedom that everyone around them had always deemed fighters like them to have at the time of their birth. Despite the odds and ends of their lives, nothing up to this point had ever felt right, and deep down they knew the other thought the same.

* * *

SK: I hoped you liked that one. I've wrote that as a challenge, set forth by my friends. In this you may have noticed that I made Yuki appear earlier then scheduled. And no, I probably won't be using this in my future works to explain how they get together, but it'd be a great way to explain it huh? XD In case he seems callous to Yuki, it's only because in this they would have met and been together for what, a total of 3 months max?

Also, doubt there is a cinema village, but if there is cool. The only references I've seen would be in volume six of Negima! by Ken Akamatsu and in this old show I used to watch. It was more of a studio set of sorts but it's the same idea in the end.

Thank you for taking the time to read, and please review! Always appreciated, if I do or don't reply back to you. Hint: You want me to reply, you should leave an email!


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